Pacifier Holder

ABSTRACT

An apparatus typically comprising a piece of rubber/plastic material that will hold pacifiers. This pacifier holder can be in the shape of a child-friendly animal or object, such as a teddy bear. The pacifier&#39;s nipples are placed in an opening with the handles facing outward toward the child. By grasping the pacifier at the handle, it can be removed from the holder by the child or caregiver. It also provides a means to be attached to objects associated with children. The ends of the rubber/plastic material wrap around the crib bars and attach together by inserting a large T shaped end into an opening in the other end, locking it in place.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus for holding pacifiers that attaches to an object associated with babies, such as a crib, and is accessible by both the caregiver and the child. BACKGROUND

Past inventions which were designed to hold pacifiers have not been widely accessible. As a parent, I understand the need for a pacifier holder which can be attached to the crib. Pacifiers are usually dropped onto the floor during the night hours and cannot be found without turning on a light and disturbing the sleeping pattern of my child. In addition, being called in to retrieve the pacifier reduces the amount of sleep we as parents desperately need.

Numerous patents and published applications address inventions related to retaining pacifiers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,452 addresses a holder for retaining a pacifier in a crib, but is designed to hold one pacifier. U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,722 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,092 disclose containers engaged for retaining pacifiers. Numerous other patents and published applications disclose additional devices for holding a pacifier.

This device can help children learn to be independent by accessing pacifiers in the holder independently. The goal of the pacifier holder is to provide a way for children to independently access pacifiers without having to call for a caregiver to come into the room and search for the lost pacifier. In addition, the pacifier holder provides the caregiver of an infant a convenient place to store pacifiers for easy access during sleeping hours.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention, as described below, discloses a novel simple means for retaining one or more pacifiers accessible to the caretaker or baby.

This invention is a pacifier holder. This pacifier holder holds multiple pacifiers and mounts to the bars of the crib. The pacifier holder provides the child with accessibility to pacifiers that he/she can independently retrieve. This invention is designed to alleviate the child's need to call for a caregiver to replace a lost pacifier during the night or during nap time. It can also be helpful for the caregiver who needs to provide an infant with a pacifier, which is conveniently located in the crib. This device can be readily attached to other objects associated with children in addition to cribs.

This invention is an apparatus typically comprising a single piece of rubber/plastic material that will hold pacifiers. This pacifier holder can be in the shape of a child-friendly animal or object, such as a teddy bear. The pacifier's nipples are placed in an opening with the handles facing outward toward the child. By grasping the pacifier at the handle, it can be removed from the holder by the child or caregiver. It also provides a means to be attached to objects associated with children. The rubber/plastic straps wrap around the crib bars and attach together via a slot and a large T shaped end which fits inside the slot, locking it in place.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of the pacifier holder.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The pacifier holder is typically constructed as a single piece of material with no additional parts or pieces required. The material is typically a non-toxicrubber or plastic, such as polypropeline, polyetheline, or a thermoplastic elastomer.

The single piece of material can be formed or cut into the shape of a child-friendly object or animal, such as the teddy bear shape depicted in FIG. 1. The teddy bear in FIG. 1 is depicted by the head shape (1), the arms (2), the legs (3), a main body (4), eyes (5), and a retaining hole for a pacifier (6), which appears as the nose. Multiple retaining holes (6) can be provided on the pacifier holder with two depicted on FIG. 1.

The pacifier holder depicted in FIG. 1 includes a means to secure the pacifier holder to an object associated with a child, such as a crib. For example, the arms (2) in FIG. 1 can be wrapped around two bars in a crib. To secure the pacifier holder in place, the arm in the shape of a T (7) is inserted into one of the slots or openings (8) on the other arm. FIG. 1 includes multiple slots to accommodate securing the pacifier holder around objects of different sizes. Other arrangements for securing the arms together are possible.

The caregiver simply places a pacifier into one of the retaining holes (6) by pushing the pacifier's nipple into the hole (6). This leaves the pacifier's handle facing outward for easy later removal by the child or caregiver. FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment that can hold up to two pacifiers.

The description above and the accompanying figure present an example of the present invention. Other applications and variations are possible to meet a particular application. For example, other child-friendly shapes can be created with any number of retaining holes in any arrangement. It is recognized that departures from the disclosed embodiment may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. 

1. A device for holding pacifiers, comprising: an elongated material which wraps around and attaches to an object, and provides a means for holding a minimum of one pacifier within the reach of a child.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein holes are provided to accept and hold pacifiers.
 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the material is in the shape of a child-friendly object.
 4. The device of claim 3, wherein the shape is a bear.
 5. The device of claim 2, wherein the elongated material contains two horizontal projections; one of the said projections contains a minimum of one opening at its end; and, the other projection contains a tab for insertion into the opening.
 6. The device of claim 5, wherein the two horizontal projections are shaped like arms.
 7. The device of claim 5, wherein the elongated material is rubber.
 8. The device of claim 5, wherein the elongated material is plastic.
 9. The device of claim 5, wherein the elongated material is cloth.
 10. A device for holding a pacifier comprising: means for wrapping an elongated material around an object associated with children; means for affixing one end of the elongated material to the other end to secure it to the object; and means for insertion of a minimum of one pacifier into the elongated material.
 11. A device according to claim 10, wherein the object associated with children is a crib.
 12. A device according to claim 10, wherein a portion of the elongated material is in the shape of a child-friendly object.
 13. A device according to claim 12, wherein the shape is a bear.
 14. A device according to claim 10, wherein the elongated material is rubber.
 15. A device according to claim 10, wherein the elongated material is plastic.
 16. A device according to claim 10, wherein the elongated material is cloth. 